Meet the Bali Chair

Build Your Own Chair

Templates / How to manuals

Build your own beautiful, strong and comfortable chair in your own shop at your own pace using my templates & how to manuals.

All jigs and forms are included in the Template Set, as well as templates for each part needed for the project. Easy to follow step by step instructions, including all required measurements and joint details.

1 on 1

My build your own chaircourse allows you to build your own beautiful rocking chair, low back chair or sculpted bar stool. You will be able to take home or ship your very own functional piece of art, built with your bare hands under my instruction. From the experienced woodworker to the inexperienced, you will not only be able to build a beautiful chair you’ll understand the techniques and design features that makes your chair yours.

Lumber Selection - Sorting through rough lumber to find the pieces to build your chair is the first step in the chair building process.

Laying out the templates - How to best use the lumber for structural stability and beautiful grain orientation.

Dressing and cutting the lumber - Hands on use of all the tools required to dress (square up) your lumber and cut to size.

Layout and fabrication of joinery - How and why we use the joinery we use and of course learning the details of the famous Maloof joint.

Assembling the chair - Putting the pieces together, you finally get to see your chair come together!

Rough shaping - This is what makes your chair yours, you'll use the various power and hand tools required to create the sculpted joints, legs, seat and arms.

Sanding -You learn exactly the same sanding process I use on every piece I make. I make great use of powered sanders and I don't want to say how much hand sanding I actually do, if interested to know please contact me.

Finishing - I learned from Sam Maloof through books and videos on the specifics he uses to finish his pieces as well as taking in what Hal Taylor uses to finish his chair, my finish is an easy 3 part mixture wipe on wipe off.

If your interested in building your own rocking chair or low back chair

Feed back from previous build your own rocking chair students

I am very grateful for the 10 days I had under
your supervision. The day I found out you did this one on one class I
was determined to give it a go.

You may take for granted the skills you have
acquired over the years however for the non woodworker to walk away with
a chair like I did today is a lasting memory. Thanks!

Regards

Andrew

Hey Paul,

Linda here….just want to say …I LOVE the rocking chair …it is incredible. I am so proud of Greg. I know he loved the experience and really learnt a lot. He really enjoyed working with you..said you are great and know your stuff, but also know how to share it with others.

He’s already trying to plan what he wants to make next. I love all the pics you have been posting. I was wondering if you could send them to this email so I can put them into the baby book I am making.

I am sure you will see Greg again within this year …he wants a chair for himself and more.

Thanks again, So glad you run this course.

Linda Bowen

I thought you might like to see these quick pics of the finished chair. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to do proper pics because I finished it up at my folks' farm at the end of the summer and then left from there for Maine where I'm now in school for the winter. Anyway, it came out great!

I think I'd like to build another one of these soon and having gone through the process with you I'm confident that I can work things out. To sum it up, the week with you was awesome and I learnt an enormous amount about this style and approach to woodworking. Thanks for everything!

I got the chair finished and it looks beautiful. I finally got a few pictures taken and posted them on Facebook last night. Already got lots of great feedback. Thanks again for a great course.

I take many pictures as well as film in real time & time lapse, below are a few videos i’ve put together to reflect on some of the steps that you’ll be doing while making your own beautiful rocking chair which will last generations